


Picking Up the Pieces

by InsertGoodUsernameHere20



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adventure, Eventual Romance, F/M, Modern Girl in Thedas, POV First Person, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22269685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsertGoodUsernameHere20/pseuds/InsertGoodUsernameHere20
Summary: When a Flemeth cosplayer appears and offers Madison a gateway into a new world she wonders how her life got so weird. Now she's been thrust into the world of Thedas armed with nothing but her knowledge of future events and an unhealthy craving for soda. How is she supposed to help save the world with a caffeine headache? Don't you people have coffee?!
Relationships: Fen'Harel | Solas/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 26





	Picking Up the Pieces

“You should be careful, she’s a fucking dragon lady.” Mr. Conway’s white mustache twitched as he spoke, watery brown eyes peering over the reception counter. 

I smiled at his concern. “Come on Dave, don’t you think I can handle myself? I’ve been here a year now.”

My voice echoed in the empty lobby; the shelter was quiet this afternoon. Not unusual for a Thursday. Glancing at the clock I noted that it was two minutes past five. Brenden’s late...again. Not that I minded too much, Mr. Conway was good company… and a little bit of overtime never hurt anyone.

“I know, I know. But damn if she ain’t mean. And asking about you?” He punctuated himself with a wag of his finger. “Gotta admit that’s sorta weird, Madison”

“Dave, everyone asks about the staff, especially when they’re new-” 

Mr. Conway’s mustache twitched more violently at my dismissal. Behind me I heard the back-office door open, signaling the arrival of the tardy security guard.

“-but I will be careful. I’ll have someone walk me out to my car when I leave, promise.” 

“Heya Mr. Conway! How are ya’ this fine evening?” Brendon's cheerful rasp came from behind me. 

“Hmph, Id be doing better if I didn’t have to see your ugly mug every night!” 

I snickered behind my hand seeing Brendon’s smile falter slightly and then turn up to 100 watts. Mr. Conway hated him for some reason, but Brendon never let that bother him. 

Dave turned in his wheelchair and looked back at me, pointedly ignoring the security guard. “Have a nice night now! I’m gonna’ go get in line for dinner” 

“Have a good night Dave!”

I grabbed my bag from under the counter and stood, straightening my mess and logging out of the desktop. I could feel Brendon’s curiosity emanating from him in waves as he took my seat. 

“What’s up?”

“So why are you having someone walk you to your car? Is something wrong?” 

Always the worry-wart. I shrugged and trudged towards the door. 

“Nah, Daves just being paranoid about the new lady. You know how he is.” I grinned, body halfway through the threshold. I could see that my words had relaxed him, and he smiled back at me. “Besides, even if anything happened I can handle an old lady.”

“He must mean that Flemeth lady that came in a few days ago.” 

Flemeth? I gave him my full attention.

“You’re joking! Like the Dragon Age character?”

“That’s what I said! She put it on her intake packet, had to ask the boss if we would allow that. He said it’s fine though so whatever.”

“Hm,” Well it’s not the first time we’ve had someone come into the homeless shelter with a fake name. “She must be a big fan.” 

“She must be, she’s even dressed like her!” 

“Pfftt, does she have the horns?”

“No, no, Origins Flemeth. Not Inquisition. You know all pretending-to-be-an-old-lady and not an ancient elven goddess?”

“Gotcha. Still a little sad Solas did her in, she was a cool character.” 

“Right?!” Brendon turned around and then turned back towards me. 

“Hey, Angela wants to talk to you by the way. She’s in her office. “

“Great.”

He grimaced,“hey, I’m just passing the message along! 

“Right, sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

  
\----

Angela’s office sat next to the door to the parking lot where staff parked their cars. Very convenient for ambushing us. I just wanted to go home and imbibe copious amounts of alcohol with my cat, but I knew if she wanted to speak to me there was no use in trying to avoid it. 

“Sit.”

I did. Why does she have to be so scary? 

“Do you know why I’m talking to you today?”

“No, ma’am.” 

“Madison I’m going to be honest, I’m not happy with you. I hired you as a receptionist to schedule client’s meetings with social workers and help anyone who wants to donate to the homeless shelter, not to be a pseudo-therapist. You can’t spend all day trying to fix their problems while shirking the responsibilities you were hired for.” 

She paused to make sure she had my full attention, giving me the look any person whose had a disappointed parent would recognize, then continued.

“I know that the clients like you and that you care about them, but we’ve talked about this. Did you even finish today’s reports I wanted you to do?”

I shook my head.

“This is exactly what I’m talking about Madison. I’m sorry but I’ve already given you a verbal warning so now I have to write you up.” 

“I promise that I will get you tho-” 

She held up her hand and I closed my mouth with an audible click. A drawer scraped open as she pulled out the write up sheet and gave me a pen.

“I need you to read this and sign.”

  
\---

She’s right and I fucking hate it. I glared at my reflection in my cars window through tears. I look like a mess.

“Hello, my dear Madison” 

I looked up, hand on my car door, to see a startlingly familiar looking older woman in a ragged dress standing in front of me. Jesus, she does look like Flemeth. 

Wiping my eyes, I turned and faced the Flemeth cosplayer with my best customer service smile.

“Can I help you?”

“I was hoping that we would finally be able to talk.”

“I’m so sorry, my shift is over and I have to get home. We could talk tomorrow?” 

The woman frowned, “I’m afraid there won’t be time for that.”

“Are you sur-”

“I have a gift for you.”

I could feel my eyebrows almost reach my hairline. Come on Madison think of an excuse!

“Oh, I can’t accept gifts from clients.” I gave her my most apologetic smile.” I’m so sorry!”

"A practical rule, but I must insist.” She held a hand out, and my eyebrows rose. Resting in her palm was a round metal object. Intricate raised patterns wound around it like serpents. Any Dragon age fan would recognize it immediately.

“Is that Solas’s orb? It’s so cool! Did you make it?” 

“Clever, but no, it’s mine. I’m here to offer a deal.”

“What do you mean?” She came here to give me a cosplay prop?

“If I knew that you could save millions, perhaps billions of lives, would you do it?”

Well, that’s not what I expected.

“Of course, anyone would.”

“Even if it meant leaving this world behind?”

“What are you talking about, this world? Are you threatening me ma’am?” I was beginning to feel like Dave wasn’t being as paranoid as I thought.

“You’re more intelligent than that. Now answer the question.”

Just to humor her, I thought about it. I thought about my lack of friends and my few remaining family members and my dead end job. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have on a thursday afternoon when I could be home sipping wine. But, as I looked into the Flemeth look-alike's eyes for some reason I felt compelled to actually answer her.

“I guess that if I could help people, another world wouldn’t be so bad.” 

“Then take it,” she held her hand out farther in my direction in emphasis. It almost looked like her brown eyes flashed gold as she took a step closer.

This is like something out of a bad fanfiction, I thought to myself as I reached toward the orb.  
As my hand enveloped it, I watched, stunned, as it literally absorbed into the palm of my hand. Blinding white hot pain arched through my arm and my legs buckled from underneath me. My mind raced as my body cramped into itself, instinctually cradling the now compromised hand. 

With the last bit of strength I could muster I forced myself to look at the woman who I now knew was actually Flemeth. 

“Heed my words, girl, the road ahead of you will be dangerous and difficult.”

The world swam in front of me as blue light began to shine through my closed fist. 

“You have seen the outcomes of this world’s stories about us in your... games.” She spat the word ‘game’ like it was a vile piece of food. “You must not allow those events to come to pass.” 

Ozone, why does it smell like ozone? 

There was sadness in her voice when she spoke again. 

“Please, save him from himself.”

An explosion sounded and the world went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This is the first chapter of my first fanfiction and I'm so excited to share it. I'd love to hear feedback so if you want leave a comment below. :)


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